Shield for air-tubes of pneumatic tires.



S. G. GILLESPIE.

SHIELD FOR AIR T UBES 0F PNEUMATIC TIRES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 3. I915. RENEWED MAR. 7, 1918.

' 1 ,278, 1 39.. Patentd Se pt. 10, 1918.

SAMUEL G. GILLESPIE, 0F CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

SHIELD FOR AIR-TUBES 0F PNEUMATIC TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent? Patented Sept. 10,

Application filed April 3, 1915, Serial No. 18,896. Renewed'March 7, 1918. Serial No. 221,094.

of pneumatic tires and it aims to provide an' efi'ective structure of this nature which will not reduce the flexibility of the tires when in use but will prevent puncture of the said inner tubes; a structure having a. plurality of detachably connected sections held in coupled relation by the inflated condition "or .the inner tubes and which sections are detachable from each other while the inner tubes are deflated; a structure which will retain its shape and remain securely fastened under service conditions; a structure of such form as will not strike stationary objects in the road or path of travel, to avoid the chances of accidents resulting from this cause, and a structure of the nature mentioned which may have a covering to prevent injury to the tire under service conditions.

The foregoing objects I accomplish by a protector disposed intermediate the inner tube and outer casing oi' a pneumatic tire, comprising a plurality of flexible metallic sections detachably connected together by means of headed studs and L-shaped slots.

With the foregoing as well as additional objects such as will hereinafter appear, in view, the invention has been embodied in one preferred form as illustrated in accompanyingdrawings, Whereini Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through a tire equipped with the improved protector;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a plurality of protector sections coupled together;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a plurality of the protector sections;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line H of Fig. 2, but partly broken Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2, but partly broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through a modified form of protector.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown the protector which may be generally designated-A in connection with a tire in Fig. 1.1, of which B is the outer shoe or protective casing and C is the usual air-retaininginner tube. The improved protector A is disposed intermediate the outer casing and inner tube and conforms substantially to the interior shape of the casing B. At 1 the longitudinal edges of the protector are curved outwardly to avoid a termination which would injure the tire under service conditions.

Protector A is composed of any desired number of separate arcuate or curved sections 2 which are adapted to be detachably coupled, sinceeach section adjacent one end is provided with one or more L-shapedslots 3 and adjacent the opposite ends are pro-' vided with studs 4 having heads 5 thereonf Also the sections 2 adjacent the stud ends are preferably reduced as at 2 so that the slot ends may overlap the same and so that the headsfi may pass through the slots 3 at enlargements 6 thereof and thence into the elongated ways 7. When the studs 4 are in the ways 7, heads 5 will overlap the secverse displacement. are adapted to move longitudinally of the ways 7, to permit yielding movement of the sections. It will be noted that the slots 3 tions adjacent the slots serving to connect the sections together against danger of trans:

However, the studs 4 are closed at both ends and that as a result displacement of the sections through longitudinal or' circumferential movement is prevented.

The sections 2 are of material impenetra ble to tire-puncturing elementsand are preferably made of thin metal, for instance metal which is one-eighth of an inch-or less in thickness and which is very flexible so as not to interfere with the yielding of the V tire under service conditions. Steel is the preferred metal from which the sections are of to pass through the slots before entering i the elongated ways 7 thereof. In Fig. 6, the modified device illustrated,

comprises sections identical with those of the other figures with the addition of protective coverings or envelops 8 which completely inclose the sections so that the coverings 8 rather than the metallic sections will engage with the inner tube and outer tube of the tire and thus avoid chances of pinching 'or other injury to the inner tube and outer casing. Preferably, the covering 8 is of suitable fabric material. The studs at pass through the envelops to mount them against lateral displacement relatively to the sections but not so as to hamper the yielding nio 'ement of the sections and envclops there- With. As Will be realized, the cloth is cut a ay opp its the slots 3 so as to have slots conforming in shape thereto to permit movement of the studs in the slots,

As merely the preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim I In combination with a tire having a pneumatic tube and'a protective casing therefor, a protector for the tube disposed intermedi ate the tube and easing composed of a plurality of overlapping sections, fabric envelops separate from the tube and easing Within which the overlapping sections are disposed to prevent injury of the tire through movement of the sections, and studs connecting the sections, said studs also passing through, the envelope and serving the seam: L function of mounting the envelops against lateral displacement relatively to the sections but so as not to hamper the yielding n'ioven'ient of the sections and envelops movable therewith.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL G. GILLESPIE.

Witnesses B. \Vnninan, C. A. YOUNG. 

